Ashes and Dust
by ADD-DanyXD
Summary: Modern AU One-Shot It was just him, the night sky and a cigarette, until a certain Goody-Two-Shoes came and ruined it. Let's just hope she doesn't mind the taste of ashes.


Wutup Everyone! So here's the thing, I haven't watch the movie yet so I'm already apologizing If the characters are a little OOC, but then again it´s an AU so let´s just give it a pass for now.

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Carlos took a long drag of his cigarette as he stared at the night sky, the smell of ashes surrounding him while the muffled sound of loud music came from the inside of the humongous estate that was Ben's house, where what appeared to be The Party of the Year was being held. He wasn't fond of parties, especially when everyone there was at least two years his senior, but that's how it always was, after all he was a "Prodigy", and prodigies were always treated differently, skipping a couple years of high school was the proof of it.

He'd agreed to come because of his friends, but it was just matter of time before he was abandoned to wander alone like a stray dog. Mal was the first one; as soon as they arrived she left them to be with her boyfriend, and party host, Ben. Carlos didn't have to be a genius to know what was going to happen between the two when they reached for a room upstairs, eating their faces along the way and locking the door behind them.

Jay flew next, after a contest to see who could take the most tequila shots within the football team he dragged his half-drunk self to where a bunch of people were playing Seven Minutes in Heaven. He must have got lucky since each time he came back with messier hair and lipstick stains all over his neck and face, whilst the "lucky girls" sported hickies and skewed skirts. He even got his good minutes with Audrey, the head cheerleader, but then again, Carlos knew that if properly drunk anyone could achieve that.

Then there was Evie, who left to flirt mercilessly with Doug, the guy from the marching band, and at Carlos eyes, a total dork. Carlos couldn't see what Evie saw in him, he wasn't even that smart or funny yet his friend couldn't stop talking about him, and even she skipped lunches with them just to be with him. Carlos swore that his crush for her was long gone, yet still he couldn't stand the thought of her mooning over a guy that didn't even reach his heels.

Since his so-called-friends left him to die surrounded by the intoxicated mass of people, he opted to retreat backdoors for a so-much-needed cigar, he hadn't smoked in almost a month, ever since he and his friends were transferred to Auradon Prep. He sometime felt envy of them, they have adapted a lot quicker than him, Mal was already one of the most popular girls and current girlfriend of Ben, or "The King Of Auradon" as the whole highschool called him. Jay quickly became both popular with the ladies and a football MVP as he had proved in his first game. And lastly Evie, the smart and beautiful girl who had boys swooning and hoping to be with her and girls wanting desperately to be like her or both.

And then there was him, the Know-It-All nerdy geek who skipped a couple grades just because he was smarter than the regular sixteen-year-old walking hormones. He wasn't even a social guy back in his old school, much less in a new one. But he had to say yes to the transference alongside his friends, all because of his "Dear Mother". Cruella De Vil sure was a strict woman, single mother and head and founder of "The House of De Vil", a fashion company (in)famous for its controversial use of animal fur in its designs. Carlos was left without options and now he ended up smoking at the back of a mansion while his friends spent the time of their lives.

"What do you think you're doing?" a lightly high pitched feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.

Carlos turned towards the origin of the voice, his brown eyes clashing against bright blue ones.

"Umm…It's called smoking" he said, as if it was the most stupid answer he ever gave in his life.

"You know, you shouldn't be doing it" she replied

With a gesture of deliverance he took another long drag of his cigar and blew the smoke in O´s towards her direction. Her nose wrinkled at the smell as she waved her hand to dissipate the smoke. He snickered at her reaction.

"I'm serious, quit it!" she scowled.

Carlos knew her name from somewhere, maybe chemistry class or something, he didn't need to pay attention since he always scored good grades, and thus he spent more time that he would actually admit eyeing Evie, even if she spent her time flirting with a dumbstruck Doug. Carlos studied the girl in front of him; wavy brown hair, big blue eyes, plaid skirt below her knee and matching blouse, a considerably modest outfit compared to the other girl attending the party. It reminded Carlos to those old ladies who like to sit on the front row at Sunday Church. If it wasn't for the clothes Carlos would have thought of her as pretty, he couldn't deny he had a weakness for curves like hers.

"Jane, is it?" His voice was cold and sharp, he really wasn't in the mood to be bothered, much less by a goody-two-shoes. "Why don't you pretend that you didn't saw me smoking and fuck off for the rest of the night?"

"How could you say that!?" Jane shrieked. "You know it's bad for your health!"

Carlos chose to ignore her, taking another drag and blowing the gray smoke on her direction. At fourteen Carlos has had the whole "It's bad for your health" speech more time than he could count with two hands. He still remembered his first cigarette, he was almost thirteen when he saw it, a dimly lighted Malboro resting in the ash tray at his mother's office, she was nowhere to be seen and he saw her doing it countless times in his presence. How hard could it be? He remembered the coughing fit he had after the first inexperienced drag yet he kept smoking; now at fourteen he could finish a packet in less than a week.

"And I thought you were smart De Vil" She crossed her arms over her chest in disapproval.

Now he remembered more clearly, she was indeed in his chemistry class, and just like him she had skipped a couple grades, yet unlike him, she had been in Auradon Prep from the begging. Carlos remembered something about her being the daughter of the headmistress or something like that.

"Wow there, you won't want your shitty attitude to match that disgusting nun outfit of yours" he replied, quick as a whip.

"Wu…I…you don't…I…" Jane's face went red as she looked at her clothes, clearly hurt by his comment.

Now it was her time to study him; White and black hair, fiery dark eyes, a sprinkle of freckles that gave him an slightly childish look, a skinny body clad in artistically torn black and white clothing with a splash of red, and a Malboro cigarette caught between his lips.

"Well, you know what!?" she said. "I don't care if you die! Fine by me! I won´t be the one….

And suddenly she found herself unable to speak as his lips where on hers, his mouth, still filled with smoke, tasted like ashes, her wrist restrained by his hand while the other held her waist and his cigarette. She was shocked and unsure of what to do, she had never kissed someone on the lips before. The kiss was wild and deep yet a little uneasy, as if he hadn't had much experience either. Jane's mind was roaming wild, incapable of keeping a train of thought as he bit her lip for his tongue to enter her mouth.

" _My first kiss"_ she thought _"With none other than…_

A sudden burn on her wrist made her come back to her senses, she managed to push Carlos with all her strength as she coughed some smoke, already feeling the hot tears streaming down her eyes.

"Why did you do that!?" Jane cried, holding her wrist which had a small reddish gray mark from where the cigarette had burned her.

"You wouldn't seem to shut up" he replied nonchalantly. Dumping the cigar on the floor and stomping it with his black boot "Besides, you didn't seemed to mind"

She felt angry and frustrated and sad, all al the same time. With trembling fingers she touched her lips, where no one has ever kissed her before. A first kiss, according to her mother, should have been for someone special, not some rotten, calloused bastard like Carlos De Vil and his stupid smoking habit. Enraged, she slapped him across the cheek so hard her hand hurt, his face turned to the side because of the hit, his eyes widened in surprise. He didn't expect that sort of reaction from her.

Carlos watched her as she stormed away from him, choking down her sobs as best as she could. Still confused, Carlos reached the inside of his jacket to grab another cigarette and his lighter. Placing the cigar on his lips he ignited the fire, yet when the flame was about to approached his mouth he stopped. Pulling down the lighter he brought his hand to his reddened cheek.

"Maybe I should stop smoking" he said to himself. Maybe listening to someone who cared could be a good step to begin the whole "Adapt or Die" situation he was currently in.


End file.
